Necessity Breeds Closer Bedfellows

The line between auto makers and their Tier 1 suppliers has become paper thin. Just-in-time delivery of sequenced parts encourages suppliers to follow their customersâ€™ global footprints. When Mercedes-Benz built its first U.S. assembly plant in Vance, AL, Delphi and Johnson Controls set up shop in the neighborhood. Mercedes doubled its plant capacity and they followed suit. The suppliers synchronize

The line between auto makers and their Tier 1 suppliers has become paper thin.

Now Delphi, the No.1 supplier, is warning it will seek bankruptcy protection if it cannot find relief from labor costs, and former parent General Motors is considering the supplierâ€™s plea for financial aid.

Chrysler, meanwhile, is courting long-term partnerships with a program that rates suppliers against peers, assigning them a place on the grid based on performance in the areas of cost, quality, technology and delivery.

Those that operate in the â€œreward zoneâ€? earn perks such as retaining business unchallenged, right of refusal on additional business outsourced from under-performing suppliers and first crack at future business.

The 2018 Wards 10 Best Interiors competition is under way, and more than 30 vehicles are facing close inspection for fit-and-finish, ergonomics, materials, comfort and aesthetics. Today's gallery focuses on the ’18 Buick Enclave Avenir AWD, a three-row CUV with a sticker price of $59,435. (Photos by Tom Murphy)